Business & Career   

Please Join Illinois Central College’s Corporate and Community Education and Workforce Development departments for a Business Solutions Breakfast!

Wednesday, August 17th

7:30-8:00 AM Networking Breakfast

8:00-9:00 AM Business Solutions Showcase

Illinois Central College - Peoria Campus - 5407 N. University St. Peoria, IL

Learn how ICC's Corporate & Community Education and Workforce Development departments can support your ever-changing workforce needs and make your business stand out above the rest.

We offer leadership programs, apprenticeships, and essential skills training, in addition to the GPEAK Badging Program developed by Peoria area business leaders.

In this class, you will…

• Discover the pros and cons of easy-to-build web builders (e.g., Weebly, Wix, Kajabi) and select the one that suits your needs.
• Learn design choices for the type of business site you need (products, services, informational, etc.) and select a template for your website.
• Create your home page and up to 4 additional pages.
• Learn how to accept payments for goods and/or services.
• Integrate social media apps with your website to push content out.

Do you want to start your own business? Be your own boss? Do you have a great idea and just need to know how to get started? This series will be taught in six evening sessions that will help you answer your questions and give you the basics for starting up your own business enterprise. There will be a new topic covered each week.

Do you want to start your own business? Be your own boss? Do you have a great idea and just need to know how to get started? This series will be taught in six evening sessions that will help you answer your questions and give you the basics for starting up your own business enterprise. There will be a new topic covered each week.

Do you want to start your own business? Be your own boss? Do you have a great idea and just need to know how to get started? This series will be taught in six evening sessions that will help you answer your questions and give you the basics for starting up your own business enterprise. There will be a new topic covered each week.

Do you want to start your own business? Be your own boss? Do you have a great idea and just need to know how to get started? This series will be taught in six evening sessions that will help you answer your questions and give you the basics for starting up your own business enterprise. There will be a new topic covered each week.

Do you want to start your own business? Be your own boss? Do you have a great idea and just need to know how to get started? This series will be taught in six evening sessions that will help you answer your questions and give you the basics for starting up your own business enterprise. There will be a new topic covered each week.

Do you want to start your own business? Be your own boss? Do you have a great idea and just need to know how to get started? This series will be taught in six evening sessions that will help you answer your questions and give you the basics for starting up your own business enterprise. There will be a new topic covered each week.

This online course introduces you to Agile methods of project management. Beginning with an introduction to the core philosophy of Agile and the basic structure of an Agile project, the following modules address specific challenges that may be encountered by teams using Agile, best practices for integrating Agile methods into Waterfall environments, and the principles of Scrum, one of several specialized Agile methods. The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, selected readings, case studies, and self-assessments that engage students and provide opportunities to practice their project management skills in an Agile context.

Topics covered in the course: Introduction to Agile Principles of Scrum Challenges for Agile Teams Integrating Agile into a Waterfall Environment Download the complete syllabus with learning outcomes here. This course has been evaluated by The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT®) with a recommendation of 2 credits, lower division, in project management or fundamentals of project management. Your grade in the course will be based on your performance on a final, cumulative exam. The final exam is composed of 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 1.5 hours to complete the proctored exam.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Agile project management practices have become the standard for software development projects. More recently, Agile has grown beyond software projects as more and more companies adopt Agile concepts and methodologies. Individuals who have a solid understanding of Agile have a distinct advantage in today's changing project management atmosphere. The courses included in this certificate program will provide you with the basic foundation you need to become competent Agile practitioners. The program introduces you to the basic methodologies, practices, and key concepts of Agile and enables you to explore, through case studies, many of the common challenges of working on an Agile team. Courses included in this certificate: Introduction to Agile - Integrating Agile Into a Waterfall Environment - Challenges for Agile Teams

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This course will help you prepare for your new career as a wedding planner. The Certified Wedding Planner Program is designed to give people new to the industry a solid education in the art and science of Wedding Planning and Wedding Business. The complete program will take you through Etiquette for Wedding Professionals, Wedding Business Basics, Wedding Etiquette, Planning and Consulting, Service Providers, and Rehearsal to Reception.

You will: Identify the skills needed to successfully manage the demands of being a bridal consultant and apply these skills to the tasks needed during the planning process. Determine how to coordinate every detail of events, from beginning to end. Identify how to organize and conduct wedding ceremonies and receptions to ensure they meet the client's requirements. Recognize the various types of wedding ceremonies and etiquette to share with a client. Determine how to develop agendas, budgets, and services according to customer requirements. Recognize how to charge clients and collect payments; set up bookkeeping and files, inventory and billing control. Determine how to monitor event activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise. Recognize how to promote bridal show services through meetings with professional and trade associations. Explain how to produce brochures and other publications to publicize events and promote the business.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Blogging is a great way to get the word out about your product, expertise or anything that's on your mind. WordPress is one of the most popular blogging applications, readily available on a lot of web hosts. In this course, you will configure WordPress options and customize its appearance. We explore options for blog topics and getting the word out about your blog. You will write blog entries, publish them and then set up accounts for allowing access to your blog.

You will: Install and configure WordPress. Write and publish a post in your WordPress blog. Configure page settings and links. Manage comments on your WordPress blogs. Create themes and install plug-ins for your WordPress blog. Look back at what you have learned and build a plan for working with WordPress.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Learn how to create an inclusive work culture, prioritize diversity, and build an inclusive workspace, both in person and in remote work settings. In this course, you'll examine how to address cognitive bias and unconscious bias in recruiting, hiring, retaining, and developing a workforce. This course will also provide tools for being an inclusive leader and demonstrate the important role this serves in creating and building an inclusive organization.

Learning outcomes include: Outline strategies for prioritizing diversity and fostering an inclusive workplace. Differentiate between unconscious bias and cognitive bias. Describe strategies to increase diversity and reduce bias in your hiring process. Explain the role of data analytics in identifying and addressing bias. Strengthen your skills as an inclusive leader. Describe the connection between inclusion and innovation. Explain how to incorporate inclusion into remote work settings.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This certificate program introduces non-financial managers to the essentials of finance. The courses will help you become conversant in critical financial terminology, and you'll learn how to calculate key financial management indicators. You will learn how to assess your organization's financial health by reviewing balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flow, and you will discover how finance and accounting tools can be used to support informed decision making within organizations.

Courses included in this certificate: How to Read a Financial Statement - Introduction to Finance - Introduction to Business Statistics - Financial Planning & Control - Time Value of Money & Risk - Understanding & Managing Budgets

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Nearly half of all working adults are women, and women now make up the majority of students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Despite these indications that they have the skills and education to be leaders in the workforce, women are still underrepresented in many areas, and the persistent wage gap demonstrates that their work is often undervalued.

This certificate explores both the social and psychological mechanisms that create challenges that professional women often face. Alongside commentary from women leaders, the material also provides concrete and data-driven recommendations for advancing in your career. The courses in the certificate introduce key concepts and practices that all successful business people should be familiar with, thereby serving as a general introduction to topics like leadership, management, communication, work-life balance, networking, negotiation, and body language.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This certificate program introduces you to key current management issues for nonprofit organizations. Fundraising, board and volunteer development, budgeting, reading financial statements, leadership, marketing, and setting strategic direction are all addressed, and video commentary on these crucial topics will give you insight into how nonprofit professionals apply key concepts in their own organizations. Each 3-5 hour, self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, selected readings, case studies, and self-assessments that will engage you and help you practice effective decision making in a nonprofit setting. After completing all the courses, you will engage in a simulation meant to test the concepts covered in the courseware. Some courses in this certificate award CFRE credits.

Courses included in this certificate: Budgeting in a Nonprofit Organization - How to Read a Nonprofit Financial Statement - Leadership in a Nonprofit Organization - Nonprofit Board & Volunteer Development - Principles of Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations - Strategy for Nonprofit Organizations - Capital Campaigns - Introduction to Grant Writing - Introduction to Nonprofit Management - Social Media for Nonprofits - Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

The North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE) Certified Global Business Professional program certifies that a candidate is competent in four primary areas or domains: Global Business Management, Global Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Trade Finance. Within each of these four areas, five "threads" or topics are covered: Documentation; Legal and Regulatory Compliance; Intercultural Awareness; Technology; and Resources. Tasks and knowledge statements based on these areas and threads tested through the CGBP exam. This suite of courses provides an overview of essential skills for conducting international business. Each individual course contains a 25-question practice exam as well as tips and documentation to help you prepare for the exam.

Courses included in this bundle: Global Business Management - Global Supply Chain Management - Global Trade Finance - Global Marketing

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

As a modern certification in today's business world, the Certified Modern Banking Representative (CMBR) covers updated material that allows new, entry-level employees to develop in their careers and equips them to take on modern banking challenges with knowledge, confidence, and skill. This is an entry-level certification for banking representatives that applies to a broad group of job seekers. Certification can offer a clear pathway to employment in the banking industry.

Courses included in this certificate: Fighting Fraud - Banking Today - Legal Foundations in Banking - Quality Service - Certified Modern Banking Representative Exam

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This course will provide you with an overview of consulting as a profession and will introduce the basic concepts included in consulting, such as establishing credibility and managing clients. Case studies will demonstrate the concepts in a practical manner. Additional topics covered in this course include proposing and delivering consulting services, client interactions, and the skills involved in advising others.

You will be able to: Describe the role of a business consultant. Explain ethical consulting. Identify basic and detailed steps in preparation for working with a client. Describe methods for establishing credibility. Identify best practices in managing client meetings. Identify practices to avoid when setting up a consulting business. Identify best practices in client interactions. Explain how to overcome client-related obstacles. Explain how deductive and inductive reasoning are essential in advising clients.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Corporate governance deals with the complex set of relationships between the corporation and its board of directors, management, shareholders, and other stakeholders. In the recent years, the regulators and legislators have intensified their focus on how businesses are being run. They are endeavoring to create a template for new corporate governance and disclosure measures, which is beneficial for both the stakeholders and controllers.

This course outline includes: What is Corporate Governance - Models and Mechanisms - Shareholders and Stakeholders - Board of Directors - Audit Committee - Banking Corporate Governance - Corporate Scandals - Best Practices - Corporate Responsibility

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

The customer service representative plays an essential role in an organization's success through providing product and service information and resolving product and service problems. In this course, you will learn about the various duties and responsibilities of the customer service provider, and you will practice these using a variety of exercises, hypothetical interactions, and assignments. The goal of this course is to prepare you to be an outstanding, reliable, and successful customer service representative in a business or other organization. In addition to providing you with a comprehensive education in customer service, this course will also prepare you to take nationally recognized customer service certification exams, including, but not limited to, the HDI Customer Service Representative (HDI-CSR) Certification Exam.

This course outline includes: What is Customer Service - The Global Customer - Exceptional Customer Service - Customer Service Strategy - Critical Workplace Skills - Problem Solving - Extreme Customers & Customer Retention - Managing Customer Service - Communication Essentials - Customer-Focused Listening - Nonverbal Communication, Dress & Manners - Telephone & Digital Communication

This is an online, any time course. Click here to to register.

In this course, you will learn about different marketing channels and tactics, and understand how to apply these skills and create a digital marketing strategy based on the needs of your brand. Gain the key skills to master one of digital marketing's most sought after skills, and learn how to apply your SEO knowledge in an overall digital marketing strategy. By the end of the course, you will:

Understand all key digital marketing channels such as SEO, PPC, Social Media, Affiliate, Content and Email. How to define your target audience. Create paid campaigns for social and search engines. Create a digital strategy encompassing a variety of channels. Website and mobile usability best practices. Choose objectives and determine KPIs.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

On completion of this course, you will have the knowledge of the vast variety of dog breeds around the world and learn the correct method to groom common breeds by brushing, bathing, clipping, scissoring and maintaining the coat. You will be able to identify common health problems with pre-grooming inspections and learn how to handle nervous and aggressive dogs while grooming. Demonstration videos will be included in most of the lessons to give you confidence when grooming and the skillset to start your own grooming business. This course is paws down the best online dog grooming course.

In this course, there are four modules. The course covers: Dog grooming overview. Equipment use and dog handling. Health assessments, common health issues and dog nutrition. Basic grooming and style grooming according to specific breeds. Set-up and running of your own Doggy Parlor.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This course teaches essential skills and knowledge for entrepreneurs. Throughout five segments, you will explore how entrepreneurs create successful ventures, and develop functional skills in management, accounting, marketing, and business law. The self-paced course offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, selected readings, case studies, and self-assessments that engage students and provide opportunities to practice entrepreneurial skills.

This course is made up of the following components: Introduction to Entrepreneurship - Business Law for Entrepreneurs - Leadership and Management for Entrepreneurs - Accounting and Finance for Entrepreneurs - Strategic Marketing for Entrepreneurs

This course has been evaluated by The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT®) with a recommendation of 2 credits, lower division, in entrepreneurship. Your grade in the course will be based on your performance on a final, cumulative exam. The final exam is composed of 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 1.5 hours to complete the exam. The exam is proctored. If you do not earn a passing score of 70% on your first attempt, you will have the opportunity to take the exam 2 additional times (3 total attempts). You must wait 24 hours between exam retakes. A passing score of 70% of above is required to request college credit for this certificate.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

In this course you will study the principles and practices of event planning. Course topics include: Initial Planning and Budgeting - Organization and Timing - Location - Transportation - Guest Arrival - Venue Requirements - Guest Demographics - Food and Beverage - Additional Considerations for Event Planning.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Today's job market is more competitive than ever, and workers must not only think about how to land jobs but also how to keep their jobs and continue progressing in their careers. All professionals--whether just entering their fields or currently holding leadership roles--can benefit from skill development and reinforcement. This bundle, based on Fast Company's award-winning journalistic content, will help professionals across all industries future-proof their careers by focusing on key skills in the areas of communication, creativity and innovation, design thinking, networking, and personal branding. Courses in this bundle offer real-world examples, how-to lists and advice, industry spotlights, videos from industry-leading practitioners, interactive games, and review questions to ensure mastery of the material.

Courses included in this bundle: Personal Growth - Design Thinking - Creativity & Innovation Toolkit - Networking - Build Your Personal Brand

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Financial Planning and Wealth Management are key skills needed for today’s leaders. In this course, you will be presented with the key information needed to help you understand the basic aspects of estate planning and various methods of property transfers, gifts and gift tax. In addition, information is presented regarding The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act which requires institutions to disclose privacy policies, and limits instances in which consumer information can be shared. Also covered is Insurance Concepts, Mutual Funds & Retirement Planning.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Master the building blocks of financial trading & investment in this online course and learn to react to changes in the market at the most opportune times. This course has four modules. Module one covers the opening bell, the jargon, trading, opportunities, technical charting, counter retail trading, real world trading and protecting your capital. Module two covers risk management, position sizing and portfolio risk management. Module three covers entry techniques and exit techniques. Module four covers portfolio selection and UTP application.

You will: Learn the art of reading critical data in order to identify a potential investment. How to read price action and analyze the movement of price on a chart. How to use technical analysis to your advantage when looking for key moments to execute trades and investments. Solidify your psychology in the market place and learn how to mitigate harmful emotions. Trading is often referred to as being 80% psychology and 20% skill. We explore this concept in depth throughout the program. Understanding and applying risk management.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

In this course, you will learn and apply the principles of floral design, explore the history of floral arranging, and become familiar with the various groups, classifications, and names of flowers and foliage, along with the opportunities in the floral design industry. You will: Demonstrate and understanding of flower retailing Identify the names and types of flowers and foliage. Describe the features of classic floral design style. Describe the characteristics of balance, proportion, scale and rhythm. Describe the characteristics of line, form, space, texture, and fragrance Identify various containers, tools and the mechanics for flower design. Describe the typical shapes of floral arrangements. Demonstrate an understanding of basic styles and techniques for special occasions and holidays, wearable flowers, and everlasting flowers. Describe western and oriental classic floral design. Identify current and leading trends in contemporary floral design. Identify floral industry flower and foliage crops.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

The Certificate in Grant Writing is perfect for anyone seeking to learn the essentials in writing or acquiring grants for private, public, or government use. If you are thinking of starting a business that utilizes grants you want to learn the essentials of writing, researching, obtaining, maintaining, operations and strategies within the grant system.

This course outline includes:  Grant Research - Introduction to Grant Writing - Technical Writing - Advanced Grant Writing - Budgeting Essentials - Effective Writing Skills - Specialized Writing Techniques for Grants - Fundraising Fundamentals - Grammar Essentials - Non-Profit Management and Governance

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Grants are a great way to fund school projects. The process of obtaining a grant may seem daunting at first, but many educators have successfully obtained money for their schools by writing grant proposals. This course will walk you through the process of developing a plan and writing a grant proposal step-by-step. You will learn tips and techniques from successful grant writers to improve your chances of receiving the funds you need for your school.

In addition, you will learn how to: Develop an understanding of the grant writing process. Evaluate and locate funding sources that match the needs of the grant project. Discern the guidelines provided in the RFP. Define and describe the needs, goals and objectives of the grant project. Develop an implementation plan. Develop an evaluation plan. Develop a detailed budget that identifies specific expenditures for the grant project. Write a grant proposal.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This two-course bundle offers the introductory through intermediate skills needed for those involved in gaining funding for any nonprofit organization's mission. Strategic grant writing aligns the needs of a nonprofit with funding sources, whether those sources are foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. The first course in this bundle, Introduction to Grant Writing, offers a guide to the basics of grant writing. The course explores the relationship between grant writing and an organization's strategy for fundraising. It also outlines the six stages of grant writing and highlights grant writing best practices. Advanced Grant Writing, the second course in this bundle, challenges learners to push those newly acquired grant writing skills to the next level, challenging learners to ask iterative questions in order to sharpen and refine each grant proposal and push it to the top of the pack. By looking closely at how a logic model can shore up a proposal at each key stage, this course will demonstrate how to push planning, evaluation, and budgeting from good to great.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Startups and small businesses are the growth engines of the American economy, but that growth doesn't just happen by itself. Growing a business takes time, hard work, and skill—and it certainly helps when you can get a lot of practical advice along the way. This bundle is based on Inc. Magazine's award-winning journalistic content and features practical, experience-based assignments that will provide entrepreneurs and small-business owners with the skills necessary to navigate the various stages of growing a business. Courses in this bundle offer real-world examples, how-to lists and advice, industry spotlights, videos from industry-leading practitioners, interactive games, and review questions to ensure mastery of the material.

Courses included in this bundle: Hiring, Managing, and Developing Talent - Becoming a Better Leader - Modern Marketing: Strategy & Execution - Selling Like a Pro - Optimizing Operations & Managing Crises - Finance 101 for Entrepreneurs

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Financial literacy is an essential skill for any business leader or business owner. Fundamental financial concepts, such as reading and analyzing financial statements, developing and managing a budget, maintaining a healthy cash flow, and raising capital to support business growth, are crucial skills that every business owner or business leader needs to comprehend. The courses included in this bundle address each of these essential business activities, including best practices and strategies that business leaders and owners can leverage to manage and grow their business more confidently. Courses in this bundle offer real-world examples, how-to lists and advice, industry spotlights, videos from industry-leading practitioners, interactive games, and review questions to ensure mastery of the material.

Courses included in this bundle: Finance 101 for Entrepreneurs - Financial Analysis - Managing Cash Flow - A Guide to Business Loans

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Business analysis is the discipline of identifying business needs and requirements and designing and executing solutions to business problems. This introductory course provides a wide-ranging overview of the principles and concepts of business analysis, with a focus on the following six areas: needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, requirements elicitation, requirements analysis, requirements tracing and monitoring, and solution evaluation. This course covers the common stages of a business analysis project and describes common terminology and tools and techniques utilized by a business analyst. It provides subject matter expert testimony by business analysis practitioners on important topics related to successfully completing business analysis activities. This course also considers the place of business analysis and product development life cycles within the greater scheme of project life cycle management. While this course is not officially or directly aligned as an exam prep course, it contains sufficient content that can be used as a resource for individuals preparing for the PMI-PBA or IIBA-CBAP certification exams, containing over 170 questions.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Life Coaching is quickly becoming one of the most in-demand professional services. Life Coaches work with clients to help them establish and achieve their professional goals, as well as personal aspirations. This course will provide you with the skills you need to become a successful life coach. Through theoretical and practical applications, you will learn how to work with clients in every aspect of life. You will learn coaching fundamentals, including listening skills and the language of coaching. From there, you will go beyond the basics to learn how to work with individual clients to help them establish their personal and professional goals. When you complete this course, you will be fully prepared to help individuals through one-on-one and group coaching.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

Through the social media marketing course, you will understand how to build and launch an effective social media strategy for your business, and analyze results in a measurable, actionable way. You will: Research, develop and execute a social media strategy. Research, plan, create and post social media content. Manage your social media marketing efforts, online reputation, crisis response and social media policies. How to use Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram for marketing. Analyze social media data in order to make informed social media marketing decisions.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

You will explore how to start a business and choose a business entity. The course expands on business organization in areas such as record keeping, receipts, expenses, and income. Topics for this course include sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, s-corporations, payroll taxes, retirement plans, and dispositions. This course presents an introduction to small business returns. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to start preparing the less complex business returns.

Prior tax preparation experience/knowledge is required. This course is designed to enhance the knowledge and experience of tax practitioners. Learners normally enroll in this course after completing the Comprehensive Income Tax Class and working at least one season as a tax preparer. This course will give you the confidence to take on more complex returns by reinforcing your existing tax knowledge and building on it. This course is also suitable for a veteran preparer who needs to refresh their skills. If you are an enrolled agent, accountant, lawyer, financial planner, business owner, experienced tax preparer, or just interested in increasing your tax knowledge, the Advanced Course will enable you to prepare more complex individual tax returns. This course provides the critical education and knowledge which make you more competent and successful than your competitors.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

This course will look at the tourism industry through the lens of business, specifically by considering the management, marketing, and finance issues most important to industry members. The course will start with a comprehensive model of tourism and continue with individual sections that provide a thorough understanding of all sectors of travel and tourism. The role of the travel agents, technology, transportation modes, accommodations, cruise lines, destinations, attractions, and food and beverage operations are all covered in detail.

In this course, you will: Identify the basic principles of the travel industry. List the various modes of travel and types of travel. Describe the strategies for sales and marketing in the travel industry. Identify the opportunities and work venues available for the travel agent. Demonstrate proficiency in the technology used in the travel agency.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.

The key to a productive workday at home is being prepared for all the technology needs that accompany work-from-home situations. Nothing is worse than a frozen Zoom meeting or a VPN connection issue! This course provides you with the knowledge, tips, and practices to manage different devices and technologies at home. In addition, it provides practical guidance for purchasing products, contracting for services, and troubleshooting common issues so your day runs smoothly from anywhere in the world.

This is an online, any time course. Click here to register.